Episodes

  • The End of Cool Story
    Mar 17 2024

    This week there is a huge and sad announcement, Bri makes an uncharacteristic mistake and Bridie and Bri go through the reading cornerstones of their lives at 5, 25 and 35.

    Thank you so much to our listeners for all of your support over the journey of Cool Story. It is with heavy hearts that we have to say goodbye, but stay subscribed to the feed as you never know what the future may hold.

    Books referenced int his episode:

    Babysitters little sister series by Ann M Martin

    The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

    Idiot Pride by Matt Zurbo

    Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis

    Stet by Diana Athill

    Instead of a letter by Diana Athill

    Eragon by Christopher Paolini

    The First Stone by Helen Garner

    Caoilinn Hughes: Orchid and the Wasp, The Wild Laughter, and The Alternatives

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    52 mins
  • Why Are Parents So Fixated On Core Memories?
    Mar 10 2024

    This week Bridie is in her TV era, with two great shows to discuss, and Bri has a brilliant new history podcast she wants everyone to listen to. Then they discuss the recent piece in The Cut about parents getting obsessed about creating "core memories" for their children.

    Articles/TV show references:

    Being Roman with Mary Beard

    Why Are Parents Fixated on Core Memories?

    Mr and Mrs Smith

    Feud: Capote vs The Swans

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    33 mins
  • Bri's Return From Egypt
    Mar 3 2024

    This week Bri and Bridie are back together! While Bri was adventuring around Egypt Bridie had some high highs (three Taylor Swift shows) and low lows (you'll find out). Bridie has an epic family saga in books to rave about, and Bri has a great nonfiction book recommendation from her Egypt reading too.

    Articles/Books referenced in this episode:

    The Sisters by Mary Lovell

    Wait For Me by Deborah Devonshire

    Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World by Shereen El Feki

    The Pursuit of Love (2021) watch on Prime Video

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    43 mins
  • Bridie's Interview with Gyan Yankovich
    Feb 25 2024

    This week on Cool Story with Bri and Bridie; Bridie talks about friendship with Gyan Yankovich.

    What's the worst thing you've ever heard a friend do to another friend? What's the biggest mistake people make in friendship? Bridie and Gyan discuss all of this and more, as well as Gyan's three books to get you out of a reading rut.

    Gyan's book is Just Friends.

    Books discussed in this episode:
    The Guest by Emma Cline
    Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill
    Writers and Lovers by Lily King

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    37 mins
  • Q & A - Round 2
    Feb 18 2024

    This week on Cool Story; Bri and Bridie answer some personal questions left over from the December live show at The Vanguard in Sydney.

    There were so many incredible questions from the audience that they couldn't possibly all be answered on the night. Did Bri consider writing her first book under a pseudonym? What's Bridie's most underrated Taylor Swift song? Tune in to hear them all.

    Books referenced in this episode:

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life-anne-lamott/book/9781921372476.html

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    31 mins
  • Bridie's Interview with James Colley
    Feb 11 2024

    Bridie is joined by debut author James Colley. They discuss books to get you out of a reading rut, burying your most honest thoughts in fiction and how to figure out how to write a novel.

    James is the author of The Next Big Thing.

    Books referenced in this episode:

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-love-raymond-carver/book/9780679723059.html


    https://www.booktopia.com.au/mike-nichols-mark-harris/book/9780399562242.html


    Song of Spiderman: The Inside story of the most controversial musical in Broadway history by Glen Berger

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    34 mins
  • The Best (and bad) Career Advice From People Over 30
    Feb 4 2024

    This week Bri has read one of the best books she's picked up in months, while Bridie has a fantastic debut on maternal ambivalence. They discuss the best career advice from people over 30 after a tweet with some extreme responses goes slightly viral. And when it is okay for a politician to lie? Bri and Bridie dissect the question as parliament returns for the first sitting week of the year in which stage three tax cuts will dominate.

    Books/Articles/Shows referenced in this episode:

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202733783-thanks-for-having-me?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=cQV17P8VXM&rank=1

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693584-if-an-egyptian-cannot-speak-english?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10

    https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/fargo/season-5

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    53 mins
  • Are You A Climate Sceptic But You Don't know it?
    Jan 28 2024

    This week Bri and Bridie catch up on each others' summer breaks and compare their plans for 2024. They discuss the great books they read, fight about Shane Warne, and finish with a tricky question about climate change deniers.

    Books/Articles referenced in this episode:

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/nothing-special-nicole-flattery/book/9781526612137.html

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/grand-days-frank-moorhouse/book/9780143790907.html

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65215109-the-upstairs-delicatessen

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/on-warne-gideon-haigh/book/9780143569176.html

    Ipsos 'Perils of Perception' climate change study:

    https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-perils-perception-climate-change

    When my dad and brother died I denied my grief the way we deny the climate crisis. But it didn't make it go away:

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/20/when-my-dad-and-brother-died-i-denied-my-grief-the-way-we-deny-the-climate-crisis-but-it-didnt-go-away

    How "that Octopus Book" won over a million readers:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/books/remarkably-bright-creatures-shelby-van-pelt.html

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    50 mins